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Sept. 13,1927.

C. A. BUTCHER ET AL TIME LIMIT RELAY 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28. 1924 INVENTORS/ Char/es A.Bu/Cherand l/oqvd f Hunf B ATTORNEY WITNESSES:

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Sept, c. A. BUTCHER ET AL TIME LIMIT RELAY Filed May 28. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS MM.\I\\\\HM\/\\\\\\\\\ \\\\\\\\& W I m w fiw Q mm m mm J mm m 1 m i x 6 r X? W m8 H a g H a a Charles A ATTOR NEY Patented Sept. 13, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. BUTCHER, OF EAST PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, AND LLOYD F. HUNT,

OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC & MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

TIME-LIMIT RELAY.

Application filed May 28,

Our invention relates to time-limitrelays and particularly to time-limit relays having a plurality of timing devices.

One object of our invention is to provide a time-limit relay that shall have a plurality of contact members that are separately actuated from a single source of mechanical energy.

Another object of our invention is to provide a relay, of the above-indicated character fin which the various contact members are engaged in definite intervals of time in response to predetermined conditions. I

A further objectof our invention is to provide a relay, ofthe above-indicated character, in which the intervals oftime required for engagement ofthe various contact members shall be separately adjustable.

A still further objectof ourinvention is to provide a relay, of the above-indicated character, that shall be simple and inexpensive to construct and reliable inits operatlOIl. 5E

Our invention comprises, in general, a casing, an electric motor mounted therein, a plurality of contact members and a system of gear trains between the motor and the contact members; portion of the sys .tem of gear trains is movable between two operating positions and, underv predetermined conditions, is held by a spring in one of the operating positionsl QAn electromag net is provided with anarmature member that. is connected through a system of levers to the movable portion of the system of gear trains for actuating the movablefportion into its other operating position against the force of the spring when the electromagnet is energized. When the movable portion of thesystem of gear trains is held in its first operating position by the spring, the motor is effective to actuate one set of contact members and when it is held in its other operating position, by reason of theenergization of the electromagnet, the motor is effective to actuate two other sets of contact members that are adapted to be engaged after respectively predetermined intervals of time after the motor and electromagnet have both been energized.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a front View. partially in ele vation and partially in section, of the time limit relay embodying our invention 1924, Serial No. 716,354.

Fig. 2 is a bottom View, partially in plan and partially in section, of the relay shown in Fig. 1,

i Fig. 3 is an end view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the relay shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the gear engagemecilit mechanism embodied in our invention, an

Fig.6 is a detail view of a contact-supporting-disk embodied in our invention.

Referring to the drawings, a driving motor 1 is mounted within a casing 2 and secured in position by screws 3. The motor 1 comprises a shaft 4 that is formed at one end thereof into a pinion 5. The pinion 5 :engages a gear wheel 6 that is rigidly mounted on a shaft 7. The shaft 7 issupporteda bracket, member 8 that ,is

mounted on and secured to thecasin g 2 by screws 9.. I i I I bracketm ember'IO is pivotally mounted on th'e shaft 7 and provides a mounting for a", shaft 11 on which aworm wheel 12 is rig dlymounted- The worm wheel 12 engagesa worm 13 that is out in the shaft7, thereby establishing a mechanical driving connection between theshaft 4; of the motor 1'. and the shaft 11. The lowerjend o f the shaft 11 supports a gear wheel 14 that en gages a gear wheel to drive a. shaft16 upon which apinion 17 is mounted at the lower endithereof. The pinion 17 engages a gear wheel 18 that is mounted on a shaft 19, the lower end of which is supported on a pivot 20 and the upper end 21 of which is supported by a bearing ina bracket member 22.

. The shaft 19 carries a contact arm 23 that is provided with a contact member 24 at the outer end thereof, and that is held against a stopmember 25 by a spiral spring 26 when the gear wheels 14 and 15 are disengaged. The inner end of the spiral spring 26 is fastened to the shaft 19 and its outer end is held stationary by a clam member 27. .An electrical conductor 28 is connected to the contact member 24 throu h a bracket member 29 that supports t e clamp member 27, the spiral, spring 26, the shaft 19 and the contact arm 23.

The contact member 24 is adapted to engage a resiliently mounted contact member 30 when the shaft 19 and the contact arm 28 and 31 is effected. The conductors 28 and 31 are connected to terminal members 33 and 34, respectively,"that extend'througlr the rear of the casing 2 and are insulated therefrornl 'Alever arm'35, that issecured to the rear of the bracket member 10 by screws 36, is

iada'pted tobe actuated by a lever arm 37 that is connected by screws 40 to 'an'armature member 38 of anv electromagnet 39.

'Th' oppo'site endofthe lever arm 35 from "thatwhich' isengaged the'lever arm 37 is rovided with a screw 4l to-which'.one

"en" ofa' tension spring 42' is connected.

The o ther. end 'of thespring 42 is held st-atitin'aryiby a" screw 43 that extends tl'iro'ugh 2 1 iixawhn thejcoil theelectromagnet 39 is I the-"casing 2'.

flideenergi z 'ed, its armature member 38 is "held in the position shown in the drawings the fQlce. of the P' n that is trans mittedthrough the leyer' arms 35 and 37 f thereto, The'jarmature member 38. is pivotany r'n'dunted on a'pin 44 that extends througha supporting member 45 that is mounted on one leg ofa-I'U-sha'ped core s'c 1:.ews47 andi ts other leg extends through tlf coil of 'the electromagnet39 and prof t'ides' 'a sup ort therefor.

"electromagnet 39 is made through conduc tors 48 and 49 that are connected to termi Q'Elect'rica connection to the coil of the minal member 54 that is mounted in asimi lar'manner to the terminal member 50.

When the coil of the electromagnet 39 is energized, the armature member 38 is attracted toward the core member'46 to actuate the-bracket vmember 10 and the shaft 11 through-the lever arms37 and 35 against the force of the spiral spring 42., When the shaft 11 is so actuated, aworm 55 that is cut therein engages a worm wheel 56 that is rigidly mounted on'a shaft 57. The shaft 57 is' supported atone end thereof by a bracket member 58 that is secured to the c'asing2 by screws 59.

'The other end of 'the shaft 57 extends into an opening in a member 60 that is supported by a bracket member 61. T he bracket member 61 is similar to the bracket member 58 and is secured to the easing2 by screws 62. One end of the member 60 is provided with a. flange 63 that fits in an opening in an insulated disk 64. and the other end thereof is provided with screw threads to receive a nut 65. \Vhen the nut 65 is tightened upon the member 60. the insulating disk 64 is clamped against a collar member66 bet-ween it and the bracket member 61.

A second insulating disk 67 of the same size as the disk 64 is rigidly mounted on the shaft 57 by means of screws 68, a hub fmem ber 69 and a in 70. The inner end of a spiral spring 1 is secured to the member 60 and the outer end thereof is held in a slot in the head of a screw 72 thatxt e'nds through adisk 67 and is securedtheret'o by 'a nut 73. The force exerted byltheispring 71 on the disk maybe varied by loosening the nut 65 and turning the member 60, for which purpose a slot 74 is provided. A

bracket member'75, supporting two elec tric'ally connected contact .members 76, is

mounted on the circumference of the disk 67. A'stop member 77is similarly mounted on the circumference'of the disk 64, but is a slot 78 and'screws 79; I

A contactmember 80 is also mounted'on the circumference of the disk 6T by screws 81 and is provided with legs 82 and 83 that adjustable with respect thereto by means of I are adapted to engage contact members 84 tom 86 and 87 to'terminal members 88and 89, respectively, extending through the back of the casing 2 and are insulated therefrom.

Contact members 90 and 91 are mounted atthe ends of resilient members 92 and 93, respectively, the other ends of which are supported by an insulating member 94. The insulating member 94 is supported by a bracket member 95 that is secured to the back of the casing 2 by screws 96. The contact members-90 and 91 are adapted to be enga ed by the contact members 76 when the shaft 57 and the disk 6. that is mounted thereon, are turned through a predetermined angle from the position'shown in the diagram, which corresponds to the de-energized condition of the motor 1 and the coil of the electromagnet 39.

When the contact members 90 and 91 are so engaged, electrical connection is effected an'd 85, respectively, when the disk 67 bears between conductors 97 and 98 that are connected at one end to the cont-act members mounted in a similar manner to that previously described for the other terminal members. The terminalmembers 50, 54, 99 and 100 are adapted to serve also as mounting bolts for securing the casing 2 to a switchboard.

A cover 101 which may be either of glass or other material, is provided to protect the mechanism of the relay from dust, etc. The cover 101 is fitted to the edge'of. the casing 2 and is held in place by thumbnuts 102 that screw onto-rods 103. The rods 103 extend through holes in the cover 101 and are threaded into bosses 104 that are integral vwith the casing2.

The time-limit relay embodying our-invention is particularly applicable to automatic substation equipmentscomprising a synchronous converter for translating zenergy between an alternating-currentsupply -ditionsare-attained within an interval of "-timethatis less than that requiredfo'r the -legs= 82 and 83 of thecontaetmember 8O circuit and a direct-current distribution i'cir- ,cuit. Our relay is diagrammatically shown andbriefiy deSCIlb8dnfOI such an ap lication in the co-pending application of 0y J. VVensley, Serial No. 655,842,p'neumatically operated stations ,:filed-October 1, 1923, and assigned to the WestinghouseElectric & Manufacturing. Company. The circuits used in practicing our invention are. shown in detail in this application;

The'motor 1 isadapted to be started' when a source of electrical energy is connected to the terminal members 50 and54 of the 'relay embodying our invention in response to an abnormal condition'in'a distribution system, such as low voltage across a distribution circuit (not shown), to which the relay is connected. Under these conditions, the 'coil of the electromagnet"39 is not energized and, consequently, the spring-42 is effective to maintain engagement between the gear wheels 14 and 15.

Therefore, if the motor 1 is energized for a sufficient interval of time, byreason of the prevalence of the above-mentioned abnormal condition. the contact member 24 will be actuated into engagement with the contact member 30, because of the operation of the gear trains previously described. When the contact member 24 engages the contact member 30, a circuit is completed between the terminal members 33 and 34, which are adapted to be connected in circuit with other controlling means.

As soon as the last-mentioned controlling means are rendered effective in response to engagement of the contact members 24 and 30, a circuit is completed externally for causing the coil of the electromagnet 39 to be energized. The gear wheel 14 is thereupon actuated out of engagement with the gear wheel 15 and the Worm 55 on the shaft 11 is actuated into engagement with the worm wheel 56.

When the gear wheel 14 disengages the gear wheel 15, the spiral spring 26 becomes .conditionare maintained until predeter- :mmed conditions are attained in the other controlling -means.

When these conditions are attained, the motor 1 and the coil of the electromagnet 39 are de-energized to permit the worm 55 to disengage the worm wheel 56. 'The disk 67 and the shaft 57 "are thereupon returned to their original posi- ;tions' inwhich the bracket member 75 engages the stop member 77," because of the action ofthe spiral spring 71.

If the last-mentioned predetermined conto be actuated into engagement 'with' the 7 con tact members 84' and -85,' respect ively, the -relay embodying our invention is rendered ineffective for the timebein'g." *Inthe event,

however, that these conditions are not 'at ta'ined before the contact-"members 84 and 85 are-so engaged, it is indicated that cer -tain conditions exist, because of which it is within the predetermined interval of time,

engagement of the contact members 84 and 85 thereafter has no effect.

Let it be assumed that the above-mentioned predetermined condition has been attained within the predetermined interval of time allowed therefor. The relay embodying our invention is thereupon rendered ineffective and remains ineffective until another predetermined condition is attained, in response to the prevalence of which for a predetermined interval of time it is desired that another result be accomplished. \Vhcn such a condition occurs, circuits are completed by the other controlling means to cause the motor 1 and the coil of the electromagnet 39 to be energized.

The disk 67 of the relay embodying our invention thereupon starts to turn in the manner previously described. This operation continues as long as the last-mentioned predetermined condition prevails. If this condition prevails for such an interval of time that it is desired to accomplish the lastmentioned result, the disk 67 will Continue to rotate until the contact members 76 engage the contact members 90 and 91. When the contact members 90 and 91 are so engaged, a circuit is thereby completed for accomplishing the desired result. When this result has been accomplished, the motor 1 and the coil of the electromagnet 39 are de-energized to permit thermechanism of our relay to return to its original condition in which it is ready to respond to a repetition of the cycle of events described above.

In the event that the last-mentioned predetermined condition does not prevail for V theinterval of time that is required for the contact members 7 6 to be actuated into engagement with the contact members 90 and 91, it is not desired that the last-mentioned result be accomplished. This condition of operation is obtained because the motor 1 and the coil of the electromagnet- 39 are deenergized whenever the prevalence of the last-mentioned predetermined condition is interru ted. When such interruption occurs, t e worm' 55 disengi es the worm wheel 56 and the disk 67 is returned to its it has been actuated until the motor 1 is again started, or until the electromagnet 39 is energized. If it is desired that the contact arm 23 be returned to its original position when the motor 1 stops, external means may be provided for momentarily energizing the electromagnet 39. The gear Wheel 14 thereupon disengages the gear-wheel 15 to permit the spring 26 to return the'contact arm 23 to its original position, and the electromagnet 39 may then be deenergized again. It is obvious that this momentary energization of the electromagnet 39 may be accomplished either'manually by means of a reset switch or automatically'in response to the condition which caused the deenei gization of the motor 1;

It will be understood that not. limited to: the specific-details -of construction and connections that have been shown in the drawings and-described-in=the our inventionjis foregoing specification, asimany changes 'andmodifications may be made-therein without departing from the spirit and soope ofaour invention, as set: .forth in the appended claim. a

We claim as our invention:

In a time-limit relay,=-:the:. combination I with a sourceot mechanicalaienergy, aiilurality of contact members-and aii's'yster'niof driving means therebet'ween', compns'ing' a plurality of trains-of g'earewlieels ione' of' which trains is permaneiitlyconnected: to the source of energy and others to certainiof the contact members, of spring means=for eifdting engagement-between the firsteinenti'oned train and one of the last mentio'ned trains-t) actuate certain of the'eontac't membersii'i'nder predetermined conditions? and magnetic means 1 counteracting the spring, means 1 for effecting engagement between the first-mentioned train and'another o'f thdaist-mentioned trains to actuate certain-others'of the contact members under other predetermined conditions -v In testimonywhereof, Ihave hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of May,

CHARLES A. BUTCHER-- In testimony whereof, "I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5 day of May,='1924.

LLOYD F. HUNT. 

